The tarot cards we use today for divination have a rich history spanning over five centuries. Far from the ancient Egyptian or mystical origins sometimes claimed, tarot began as a card game in Renaissance Italy before evolving into the powerful spiritual tool we know today. Understanding this history deepens appreciation for the tradition and places modern practice in meaningful context.
Origins in 15th Century Italy
The earliest tarot cards emerged in northern Italy during the early 1400s. These were not created for fortune-telling but for a card game called "tarocchi" (from which we get the word "tarot"). The game was popular among Italian nobility, and the earliest surviving decks were commissioned by wealthy families.
The most famous early decks include the Visconti-Sforza tarot, created for the Duke of Milan's family around 1440-1450. These hand-painted cards were luxury items, featuring gold leaf and intricate artistry. Several cards from these decks survive in museums today, giving us a window into tarot's earliest form.
The original tarot deck added a fifth suit of 22 picture cards (the "trionfi" or trumps) to the standard 56-card Italian playing card deck. These trumps depicted allegorical figures like The Fool, The Pope, The Emperor, and personifications of virtues like Fortitude and Justice. Together, the 78 cards were used for trick-taking games similar to modern bridge.
Spread Across Europe
Tarot games spread from Italy to France, Switzerland, and eventually throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Different regions developed their own deck styles and game variations. The French Tarot de Marseille emerged as an influential design that would later become the template for many divinatory decks.
During this period, tarot remained primarily a gaming tool. There is little evidence that cards were used for divination until much later. The trumps were simply game pieces with higher value than the pip cards, not mystical symbols for reading the future.
However, the striking imagery of the trumps—with their depictions of archetypal figures, celestial bodies, and moral allegories—planted seeds for later esoteric interpretation. These images resonated with medieval and Renaissance symbolism already present in art, literature, and philosophy.
The Occult Connection
The transformation of tarot from game to divination tool began in the late 18th century. In 1781, French occultist Antoine Court de Gébelin published a study claiming that tarot contained hidden wisdom from ancient Egypt. Though historically unfounded, this idea captured imaginations and sparked the esoteric tarot tradition.
Court de Gébelin's theories were expanded by Jean-Baptiste Alliette, who wrote under the name Etteilla. In the 1780s, Etteilla published the first tarot deck designed specifically for divination and wrote guides for cartomancy. He associated tarot with astrology, the four elements, and other occult correspondences.
The 19th century saw tarot absorbed into Western esoteric traditions. Eliphas Lévi, a French occultist, connected tarot to the Kabbalah and the Hebrew alphabet in the 1850s. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a British magical organization active in the late 1800s and early 1900s, developed elaborate tarot symbolism that heavily influences modern interpretations.
The Rider-Waite-Smith Revolution
In 1909, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck transformed tarot as we know it. Commissioned by Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Golden Dawn, and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, this deck was revolutionary for one key reason: for the first time, all 78 cards received unique symbolic illustrations.
Previous decks typically showed the Minor Arcana as simple arrangements of suit symbols—four cups, seven swords, and so forth. Smith's illustrations gave each Minor Arcana card a scenic image telling a story, making the cards far more accessible for intuitive reading. This innovation made tarot easier to learn and more evocative for both readers and querents.
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck became enormously influential. Its imagery established a visual vocabulary that most subsequent decks either follow or consciously depart from. When you explore tarot card meanings today, you are largely engaging with interpretations shaped by this groundbreaking deck.
Tarot in the 20th Century
Throughout the 20th century, tarot grew from an occult curiosity into a widely practiced form of divination and self-reflection. Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot (painted by Lady Frieda Harris and published in 1969) offered a more complex, ceremonial magic-influenced alternative to the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition.
The counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s embraced tarot as part of broader interest in alternative spirituality. Eden Gray's popular guidebooks made tarot accessible to general audiences, and the cards became fixtures in metaphysical bookshops and New Age communities.
Deck creation exploded in the late 20th century. Artists produced thousands of unique tarot decks reflecting diverse cultures, artistic styles, and spiritual perspectives. From feminist reinterpretations to pop culture themes, tarot proved remarkably adaptable to contemporary concerns while maintaining connection to traditional symbolism.
Modern Tarot Practice
Today, tarot enjoys unprecedented popularity. It is used for divination, meditation, therapy, creative inspiration, and personal development. Academic scholars study tarot's history and cultural significance. Online communities share interpretations and support new readers.
Contemporary tarot practice tends to emphasize psychological insight over fortune-telling. Many modern readers view tarot as a tool for accessing intuition and unconscious wisdom rather than predicting fixed futures. This psychological approach, influenced by Carl Jung's ideas about archetypes and the collective unconscious, has made tarot acceptable to many who might otherwise dismiss it as superstition.
Digital technology has further democratized tarot. Apps offer virtual readings, websites like ours provide free card meaning resources, and social media connects tarot enthusiasts worldwide. The ancient art continues to evolve while honoring its rich heritage.
Debunking Origin Myths
Despite romantic claims, tarot did not originate in ancient Egypt, China, or India. No evidence supports mystical origins predating 15th century Italy. The associations with Egyptian mysteries, Kabbalistic wisdom, and Romani fortune-telling came later and were retroactively projected onto the cards.
This does not diminish tarot's power or meaning. The symbolism works regardless of historical origins. Over five centuries of use, tarot has accumulated layers of genuine significance through the insights of countless practitioners. Its history of evolution and adaptation is itself a testament to its enduring value.
Conclusion
From Italian gaming tables to global spiritual practice, tarot has traveled an remarkable journey. Understanding this history connects us to generations of seekers who found meaning in these 78 cards. Whether you view tarot as ancient wisdom, psychological tool, or modern innovation, appreciating its real history enriches your practice. The cards that began as Renaissance entertainment have become one of humanity's most enduring systems for self-reflection and insight.